CHAPTER XXII
THE OTHER PASSAGE
DAVID voiced the general consternation: “By the Lord, Masters has got the gold, after all!”
The following silence admitted the truth of his lament. Saxe’s face set grimly. His tones came harsh, when at last he spoke:
“We’ll keep on hunting,” he said; “only, now we’ll hunt Masters.”
Jake stood disconsolate, scratching his head, and staring wistfully from one to another. It was evident that he accepted the catastrophe as irremediable. Not so Billy Walker! On the contrary, Saxe had hardly done speaking when the voice of the wise man came booming the decrees of ratiocination, with the usual pedantic note of authority:
“The trouble with the disorderly mind is,” he began, with didacticism almost insulting, “that it jumps to a conclusion without due consideration of all the facts. Suddenly confronted with one fact, which is admitted, the illogical person reaches a judgment without any scrutiny whatsoever of other vital facts concerned. Thus, in the instance before us!” He paused, and his little dull eyes, twinkling now from excitement, went from one to another of the three men before him, who listened too anxiously to be in the least offended, for his opening gave them hope. They knew by experience that Billy’s reasoning, notwithstanding all his boasts, was, indeed, usually exact, proven just by circumstance. The respectful attention on their faces was grateful to the seer. As he continued, his manner was more genial, though no less breathing the ipse dixit.
“Jake has discovered that someone has been before us here, digging in this hole. That is one single, solitary fact. Instantly, all of you impulsively take it for granted that Masters has found the gold here, and has already removed it. As a matter of reason, the chances are greatly against this unwarrantable assumption. It is only necessary to consider all the facts in our possession to understand this.
“In the first place, the fact that this hole has been dug up recently does not prove that there was gold hidden in it. As far as our knowledge goes, the treasure may have been there, or it may not. There is not a particle of evidence one way or the other. Masters was after the gold. He hunted here. That’s all we know. We do not know whether or not he found the money here. Even you chaps must admit that much.” He regarded the trio with accusing glances, before which they nodded a meek assent.
“Go on, Billy,” Saxe urged.